Rich in coastal hideaways, ancient archipelagos and islands rising from the sea, Sweden has a fondness for the sublime. With remote restaurants challenging palates and expectations, hotels carved from ice and pathways draping her frontiers, this is a country of extremes. But its cosmopolitan icons, and cities famed for their food, flair and design, also set hearts aflutter. Seasonal splendour allows creatives to delight in the daring and while there is a sense of wildness, the landscape shaped by glaciers and blanketed in forest, solitude is easy to find. Visit this northern wonderland and you'll soon discover that Swedish escapes are good for the soul.

Some featured destinations (and people): MollösundArtist Brita GranströmChef Daniel BerlinICEHOTEL and Lapland Kungsleden FavikenRosendals TrädgårdStockholm and the Stockholm archipelago Göteborg and the West Coast Gotland ice fishing in ÅreA driving tour of SkåneEssays on Swedish design and Falu Rödfärg